Clothespin



v y 1939- M. v. ROBBINS 2,158,592

CLOTHESPIN Filed July 14, 1938 I n venior jlhfi'mjf viwims m W fiulnaou A itor neys Patented May 16, 1939 ilNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLO-THESPIN mento, Calif.

Application July 14, 1938, Serial No. 219,233

1 Claim.

This invention relates to clothes pins and has for the primary object the provision of a device of this character which will be compact, durable and will have a maximum amount of gripping action to assure securing clothes and similar articles on a clothes line against accidental displacement therefrom and without damage to the clothes and which will be easy to apply and remove and may be manufactured and sold at a low cost.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features'of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating a clothes pin constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is an end view illustrating the device.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line .i-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating one of the members of the clothes pin including a jaw.

Figure 5 is a top plan view illustrating a spring sleeve.

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view illustrating said sleeve.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral Iii indicates in entirety a clothes pin consisting of companion members II constituting handles or finger pieces and each having integral with one end thereof a jaw I2. The opposing faces of the jaws have grooves I3 that coact in receiving a clothes line and the articles to be pinned on the clothes line. Formed on the outer faces of the levers or finger pieces I I adjacent the jaws I72 are bearing portions I6 each having an arcuately curved face H. To pivotally connect the finger pieces I I together and to provide spring means for urging the jaws into gripping position a tubular split sleeve I8 is provided. The sleeve I8 has a slot extending from end to end, as indicated at I9, to form a split in said sleeve and bearing edges to engage with the jaws I2. Opposite the slot I9 the sleeve is, provided with spaced slots through which the levers or finger pieces I I extend. The bearing portions I6 contact the inner walls of the sleeve, as clearly shown in Figure 2. The sleeve I8 is constructed of spring steel or any other material suitable for the pur- 5 pose capable of flexing when said finger pieces I I are squeezed together for the purpose of separating the jaws. As soon as the finger pieces II are released the sleeve acts to restore the jaws into gripping position under considerable force 10 so as to effectively grip and secure clothing and similar articles on a clothes line. Due to the bearing portions I6 engaging the inner walls of the sleeve and the finger pieces or levers II extending through the slots 20 and the slot I9 of 15 the sleeve the latter is prevented from having endwise movement on the levers or finger pieces, consequently maintaining the sleeve in proper position with respect to the jaws to produce the most eflicient gripping action by the jaws. 20

It is believed that the foregoing description, when taken in connection with the drawing will fully set forth the construction and advantages of this invention to those skilled in the art to which such a device relates, so that further detailed description will not be required.

Having described the invention, I claim:

A clothes pin comprising elongated companion finger pieces normally assuming positions in converging relation, jaws integral with said finger pieces at the converging ends thereof and having grooves in the opposing faces thereof to cooperate in providing a clothes line receiving space, said faces of each jaw being angularly related to permit the faces of the jaws when in engagement with the clothes line -to tightly grip said line, a resilient sleeve having a slit extending from end to end thereof and provided with spaced slots arranged substantially opposite to the slit to receive the finger pieces with the jaws extending out of the sleeve by way of the slit and permitting the sleeve to act to force the jaws toward each other, said jaws having enlargements opposite the faces thereof and provided with arcuately curved bearing surfaces contacting the walls of the sleeve between the slit and the slots to prevent play between the finger pieces and the sleeve and between the latter and the jaws.

MARTIN V. ROBBINS. 

